Kenyan agricultural exports to China to be duty free from May 1 — Kagwe

Kenya’s agricultural exports to China will enter the Chinese market duty-free starting May 1, 2026.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has announced, while noting the need for increased value addition to maximise the opportunity.

Kagwe said the duty-free access is expected to significantly expand export opportunities for Kenyan farmers and agribusinesses by making their products more competitive in the Chinese market.

The CS made the remarks during a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Guo Haiyan.

He added that the move marks the implementation phase of trade agreements secured following William Ruto’s recent state visit to China, which aimed at deepening trade ties and opening new markets for Kenyan agricultural produce.

Kagwe, however, stressed that Kenya must prioritise value addition to fully benefit from the expanded market access, noting that exporting processed agricultural products would earn the country higher returns compared to raw commodities.

The CS said the removal of tariffs is part of broader commitments reached between Kenya and China to deepen agricultural trade and expand market access for Kenyan products.

“This is the implementation stage of agreements that were carried forward by President William Ruto during his visit to China. It opens a major opportunity for Kenyan farmers and exporters to access one of the world’s largest markets,” he said.

“Under the new arrangement, Kenyan agricultural products will now enter China at zero tariff, removing duties that previously reduced the competitiveness of Kenyan exports in the Chinese market.”

Among the products expected to benefit from the new duty-free access are tea, coffee, fresh and frozen avocados, macadamia nuts, flowers, fresh horticultural produce, vegetables and herbs, as well as other agricultural commodities produced across the country.

Previously, several Kenyan agricultural exports entering China attracted import duties depending on the product category.

The CS noted that tea and coffee products attracted tariffs ranging between about 6 and 15 per cent, while nuts such as macadamia faced tariffs of roughly 10 to 15 per cent.

Fresh horticultural produce and vegetables often attracted tariffs ranging between 10 and 25 per cent, while cut flowers attracted tariffs of about 4 per cent.

“The elimination of these tariffs is expected to significantly improve the competitiveness of Kenyan agricultural products in the Chinese market of more than 1.4 billion consumers,” said Kagwe.

Ambassador Guo Haiyan noted that agricultural trade between the two countries has been steadily growing, highlighting that Kenya is already an important agricultural exporter to China.

She revealed that in 2025, Kenya’s exports of coffee and tea to China reached USD 24.46 million, accounting for 10.8 per cent of Kenya’s agricultural exports to China, representing a year-on-year growth of 8.8 per cent.

Exports of fresh and frozen avocados as well as macadamia nuts reached USD 19.9 million, also accounting for 8.8 per cent of Kenya’s agricultural exports to China.

The Ambassador said China is committed to expanding agricultural cooperation with Kenya under the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) framework, including supporting greater market access for Kenyan products, strengthening agricultural value chains and enhancing technical cooperation and capacity building.

Kagwe urged Kenyan exporters and investors to fully take advantage of the new market access by increasing production and focusing more on value-added agricultural exports.

“Now that we have duty-free access to the Chinese market, we must maximise it by exporting more value-added agricultural products,” he said.

He encouraged the Kenyan business community to partner with Chinese companies to establish agro-processing industries in Kenya, particularly for products destined for export to China.

According to Kagwe, such partnerships will help Kenya move from exporting raw agricultural commodities to exporting processed products, strengthening agricultural value chains while creating jobs and increasing incomes for farmers.

“The new zero-tariff access to China could mark a significant turning point for Kenya’s agricultural exports, opening one of the world’s largest consumer markets to Kenyan farmers while strengthening economic cooperation between Nairobi and Beijing,” he said.

He also pointed out the importance of maintaining strict quality standards, urging the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) to remain firm on quality assurance to ensure Kenyan exports meet Chinese phytosanitary requirements.

“Quality will be critical as we expand into this market. Our regulatory agencies must ensure Kenyan exports meet the highest international standards,” Kagwe said.

The CS further expressed interest in strengthening cooperation with China in technology transfer and agricultural training, including exploring internship opportunities for students from the Kenya School of Agriculture, which has campuses across the country, training young people in practical agricultural skills.